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Parents split over letting son die
The baby, known publicly only as Baby RB, suffers from congenital myasthenic syndrome, an incurable muscle condition that leaves him unable to move his limbs effectively or breathe without artificial support, The Sunday Times of London reported.
The condition has not affected his brain and he can see and hear.
Britain's High Court Monday will consider a request from a hospital and the boy's mother to remove him from a ventilator and let him die because his quality of life allegedly is too low, court records say.
The boy's father opposes the move and wants doctors to perform a tracheotomy, cutting a hole in the boy's neck to deliver more air to his lungs, The Times reported.
If the hospital and mother's request is approved, it would be the first time a British court rules life support can be stopped for a child not suffering brain damage, against the will of a parent.
The parents, in their 20s, are "amicably separated" and have been keeping a bedside vigil at the hospital, the father's lawyer said.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International
This news arrived on: 11/01/2009
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Posted Comments:
11-02-2009 18:25
Fred wrote:
Please allow the boy to live, If by Gods grace the doctors can help...why not...
11-02-2009 16:16
coolnan wrote:
Parents split over letting son die
My dear, dear parents. How my heart goes out to you and desperately tries to realise the position you are in. It is very natural for any good, loving mother not to want her child to suffer and to be able to enjoy a quality of life. That protective instinct exists in the majority of mothers and you should not feel that you are wrong to feel the way you do. However, the one fact here to try to realise is that there is no brain damage and he can both hear and see. We cannot be certain that he has no or too low a quality of life to live and should we actually decide that he hasn't. Be very, very careful here, despite what the medical proffession states in this respect, as it cannot be guaranteed that he hasn't sufficient quality, he has no brain damage = fact! Therefore he can FEEL, SENSE, SEE, HEAR etc. so please be aware of that as he is mentally functioning. Please give your little boy at least a chance by allowing him to have the operation to improve his breathing and give him the right to live. My prayers are with you both and I pray that you make a right decision for your child.
11-02-2009 11:36
mary wrote:
baby
Why not perform the tracheotomy so the baby
gets more oxygen which could in turn could make
a difference in his muscle ability? 'Miracles'
do happen. Give the child another chance to
live.
gets more oxygen which could in turn could make
a difference in his muscle ability? 'Miracles'
do happen. Give the child another chance to
live.
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